IP Library Granted Patent US 12,249,043
Granted Patent B2
US 12,249,043 · App. 17/573,553 · Granted Mar 11, 2025

Image non-uniformity mitigation systems and methods

Inventors: Stephanie Lin (Buellton, CA); Dylan M. Rodriguez (Goleta, CA); Joseph Kostrzewa (Santa Ynez, CA)
Assignee: Teledyne FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc.
G06T5/00G06T3/40G06T2207/10048G06T2207/20132
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,249,043
App. No.
17/573,553
Granted
Mar 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for facilitating non-uniformity mitigation for imaging systems and methods are provided. In one example, a method includes cropping an image based on a defect in the image to obtain a cropped image. The method further includes cropping a supplemental flat field correction (SFFC) map based on the defect in the image to obtain a cropped SFFC map. The method further includes determining a scaling value of a scaling term based at least on a cost function. The method further includes scaling the SFFC map based on the scaling value to obtain a scaled SFFC map. Related devices and systems are also provided.

Claims (40)

1. A method comprising

cropping a first image based on a location of a defect in the first image to obtain a first cropped image;

cropping a supplemental flat field correction (SFFC) map based on the location of the defect in the first image to obtain a first cropped SFFC map;

determining a first scaling value of a scaling term based at least on a cost function, the first cropped image, and the first cropped SFFC map; and

scaling the SFFC map based on the first scaling value to obtain a first scaled SFFC map.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying the scaled SFFC map to one or more images, wherein the cropping the first image and the cropping the SFFC map are further based on a size of the defect.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more images comprises the first image.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

capturing, by a focal plane array, image data, wherein the focal plane array comprises a plurality of infrared detectors; and

processing the image data to obtain the first image, wherein the processing comprises applying a gain and/or an offset to the image data.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying a damping factor to the first scaling value to obtain a damped scaling value, wherein the scaling is based on the damped scaling value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the first scaling value comprises iteratively adjusting a value of the scaling term to obtain the first scaling value that minimizes the cost function.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cost function is based on the first cropped image, a value of the scaling term, and the first cropped SFFC map.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cost function is based on a gradient of a difference between the first cropped image and the first cropped SFFC map scaled by the value of the scaling term.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

cropping a second image based on a defect in the second image to obtain a second cropped image;

cropping the SFFC map based on the defect in the second image to obtain a second cropped SFFC map;

determining a second scaling value of the scaling term based at least on the cost function, the second cropped image, and the second cropped SFFC map; and

scaling the SFFC map based at least on the second scaling value to obtain a second scaled SFFC map.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second scaled SFFC map is further based on the first scaling value.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first image comprises a thermal image.

12. A system comprising:

a memory configured to store a supplemental flat field correction (SFFC) map; and

a processing circuit configured to:

crop a first image based on a location of a defect in the first image to obtain a first cropped image;

crop the SFFC map based on the location of the defect in the first image to obtain a first cropped SFFC map;

determine a first scaling value of a scaling term based at least on a cost function, the first cropped image, and the first cropped SFFC map; and

scale the SFFC map based on the first scaling value to obtain a first scaled SFFC map.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to apply the first scaled SFFC map to one or more images.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to apply a damping factor to the first scaling value to obtain a damped scaling value, and wherein the processing circuit is configured to scale the SFFC map based on the damped scaling value.

15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a focal plane array configured to capture thermal image data, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to apply a gain and/or an offset to the thermal image data to obtain the first image.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the focal plane array comprises a plurality of microbolometers.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the first scaling value by iteratively adjusting a value of the scaling term to obtain the first scaling value that minimizes the cost function.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the cost function is based on the first cropped image, a value of the scaling term, and the first cropped SFFC map.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

crop a second image based on a defect in the second image to obtain a second cropped image;

crop the SFFC map based on the defect in the second image to obtain a second cropped SFFC map;

determine a second scaling value of the scaling term based at least on the cost function, the second cropped image, and the second cropped SFFC map; and

scale the SFFC map based at least on the second scaling value to obtain a second scaled SFFC map, wherein the second scaled SFFC map is further based on the first scaling value.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cropped SFFC map is associated with the same size, shape, and location as the first cropped image.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 26, 2024
From: LIN, STEPHANIE; RODRIGUEZ, DYLAN M.; KOSTRZEWA, JOSEPH
To: FLIR COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069416/0220 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: FLIR COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS, INC.
To: TELEDYNE FLIR COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059362/0743 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63149210 · Feb 12, 2021
Related Publication 20220261964A1 · Aug 18, 2022
References Cited (13)
US 9143709B1 · Winn · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 10986288B2 · Kostrzewa · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 12046445B2 · Nagao · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20050046584A1 · Breed · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20160171697A1 · Paliy et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170142312A1 · Dal Mutto · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170195584A1 · Kostrzewa · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180276803A1 · Lee et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190342480A1 · Kostrzewa · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200005440A1 · Sanchez-Monge et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2014143338 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2019023497A1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
Lee et al. “An Iterative Method for Flat-field Correction of Digital Radiography When Detector is at Any Position,” Proceedings of SPIE, vol. 5745, Apr. 15, 2005, Bellingham, WA, pp. 1025-1029. [cited by applicant]